FREDERICTON (GNB) – The provincial government is reminding the public of the rollout schedule for eligible child care facilities to become designated New Brunswick Early Learning Centres.

“To help families that are struggling to get ahead, we will offer free child care to low-income families and financial support to the middle class to help them with the cost of child care,” said Premier Brian Gallant. “By helping low-income and middle class families with the cost of child care and tuition we are making it easier for parents to pursue their studies and to get into the workforce.”

The third phase of the rollout will begin in November in the Anglophone East School District and the Francophone sud school district in the following areas: Moncton, Riverview, Dieppe, Shediac, Sackville, Port Elgin, Hillsborough, Riverside, Havelock, Sainte-Marie-de-Kent, Salisbury, Petitcodiac, Alma, and Cocagne.

The remainder of the rollout schedule is as follows:

January 2019

  • Francophone nord-est school district (Restigouche, Chaleur and Acadian Peninsula regions)
  • Anglophone North School District (Restigouche, Chaleur, Miramichi and Rexton regions)
  • Francophone sud school district (Miramichi)

February 2019

  • Anglophone West School District (Fredericton, Oromocto and Woodstock regions)
  • Francophone sud school district (Fredericton and Oromocto)

The rollout began in March in Greater Edmundston and in the City of Saint John. All eligible facilities in those areas have obtained the designation.

The second phase of the rollout in September included the Francophone nord-ouest school district, including Grand Falls, Saint-Léonard, Saint-Quentin and Kedgwick, the Francophone sud school district including Quispamsis, and the Anglophone South School District, including Sussex and St. Stephen.

These centres are intended to help parents access more affordable and high-quality child care services.

Parents whose children attend designated New Brunswick Early Learning Centres may be eligible for improved subsidies for child care expenses. Parents are encouraged to register for the Early Childhood Services Portal where they can access the subsidy calculator and other relevant information on early learning services and programs.

The goal is to designate more than 300 child care facilities as New Brunswick Early Learning Centres by 2019 to offer more affordable, accessible and high-quality early learning and child care services.

This initiative is part of a $71-million federal-provincial early learning and child care framework which will support early learning initiatives.

More details are available in the Early Learning and Child Care Action Plan, Everyone at their best… from the start.

31-10-18